Last Updated on April 24, 2024
Universities across the United States and the world are constantly looking to improve diabetes treatments or to cure the chronic disease. With new technology and funds, researchers have been able to make significant advancements in the way that diagnosis and treatments of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Encapsulation of Cells and Tissues
Purdue University is partnering with the Indiana School of Medicine to test this medical advancement using diabetic mice. Type 1 diabetes destroys the cells in the body that are supposed to produce insulin. While you can transplant those cells, some are lost because of immune responses. This new technology encapsulates those cells to improve longer survival, which will help revitalize insulin production and then to normalize glucose control. While this new technology is still in the prototype phase, it will have significant implications for long-term treatments for type 1 diabetics.
Water Soluble, Stable Glucagon
Glucagon is a 29 amino acid peptide hormone that is used to treat hypoglycemic episodes for people with diabetes. Glucagon treatments are sold in a freeze-dried form. The problem is that the delivery process of the freeze-dried from is complicated. Purdue’s invention stabilizes hormones, but in a liquid instead of the previously freeze-dried form. A liquid form of glucagon will give diabetics another treatment option and make delivery less complicated, which can make a huge difference in emergencies.
Graphene Petal Biosensor
This new invention is a significant advancement in monitoring changes in body fluids. The biosensor will be able to detect glucose levels, in blood, saliva, tears, and urine. Developing new and more accurate sensor technology will help reduce the number of missed diagnosis and making diagnosing easier and quicker. The new monitoring system will allow for quicker and less painful monitoring of blood glucose levels and will impact not only the healthcare field, but several other industries as well. Purdue states that the Graphene petal biosensor will also benefit agriculture, environmental sciences, law enforcement, and national defense.
Method to Extract Insulin Grown in Cell Cultures
Insulin has been produced in cell cultures for many years now, but the problem is extracting it and the processing it into a useable product. Currently, when scientists try and extract the insulin from the cell cultures, they lose around 40% of the insulin. With Purdue’s new method of extraction will reduce the amount of lost insulin to only 28%, making the process more efficient. As this advancement continues, it will lead to significant savings for industries producing insulin for diabetics.
System to Deliver Therapeutic to Treat Obesity
One way to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes is to inject a chemical compound that activates conversion of white-to-beige adipose. Currently, the uncontrolled delivery of the compound has hindered the treatments of obese patients. The new polymer-based therapeutics allow for efficient drug release, a higher percentage of patient compliance, and a decrease in side effects.
Continuing Advancements
For non-diabetics, these advancements might seem small or insignificant, but for anyone diagnosed with the disease, these inventions are more efficient treatments. Purdue University is only one of hundreds of universities that are spending thousands of dollars working to cure diabetes.
